1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a system for recording an information signal on and/or reproducing an information signal from a tape contained in a cassette, which includes a cassette changing arrangement, and more particularly, to a signal recording and/or reproducing system used with a tape cassette transferable between a recording and/or reproducing apparatus and a cassette storing apparatus included therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For transmission of information signals, such as video signals, each reproduced from a recorded magnetic tape contained in a tape cassette in a broadcasting station, there has been proposed a signal reproducing system which comprises a cassette storing apparatus for storing a plurality of tape cassettes in receiving compartments each provided for receiving one of the tape cassettes, at least one reproducing apparatus for reproducing the information signal recorded on the tape cassette selectively taken out from the cassette storing apparatus, and a cassette transporting apparatus for taking a selected one of the tape cassettes out of the receiving compartment of the cassette storing apparatus, transferring the selected tape cassette from the cassette storing apparatus to the reproducing apparatus to be loaded thereon for reproduction and also transferring the selected tape cassette from the reproducing apparatus to the cassette storing apparatus to be stored in the receiving compartment thereof.
There has been also proposed on occasion a signal recording system which comprises a cassette storing apparatus and a cassette transportation apparatus both provided in the same manner as those mentioned above and at least one recording apparatus for recording information signals on the tape cassette selectively taken out from the cassette storing apparatus.
In a previously proposed signal recording and/or reproducing system of such a type as mentioned above, the recording and/or reproducing apparatus contains a cassette loading mechanism for guiding a tape cassette inserted into the apparatus to a tape driving portion provided therein and has an opening for cassette insertion formed on a top or front wall of a housing of the apparatus on which a control panel with a plurality of control buttons or the like is provided so that the tape cassette is inserted into the apparatus therethrough, as disclosed in the Japanese unexamined patent publication No. 56-124159.
In the signal recording and/or reproducing system formed with the recording and/or reproducing apparatus having the opening for cassette insertion on the top or front wall of the housing thereof as mentioned above, one end of the cassette transporting apparatus from which the tape cassette is transferred to the recording and/or reproducing apparatus is disposed to face toward the control panel provided on the top or front wall of the housing of the recording and/or reproducing apparatus in order to insert the tape cassette into the recording and/or reproducing apparatus through the opening for cassette insertion formed on the top or front wall of the housing thereof. This results in the disadvantage that the cassette transporting apparatus impedes an operator to operate or handle easily the control panel of the recording and/or reproducing apparatus.
Further, for the signal recording and/or reproducing system comprising the cassette storing apparatus, recording and/or reproducing apparatus and cassette transporting apparatus as mentioned above, it has been proposed to use an electronic controller having a microcomputer containing memory means therein in order to memorize positions where the cassette transporting apparatus should stop to transfer the tape cassette to the recording and/or reproducing apparatus through the opening for cassette insertion and to control the movement and stopping of the cassette transporting apparatus thereby. With use of such an electronic controller, the signal recording and/or reproducing system can be operated efficiently without being provided with any sensor for detecting each position where the cassette transporting apparatus should stop. However, the previously proposed signal recording and/or reproducing system employing the electronic controller as mentioned above to memorize the stopping positions for the cassette transporting apparatus and control the movement and stopping of the cassette transporting apparatus thereby has the problem that it is required to spend much work and time for adjusting the position of the recording and/or reproducing apparatus accurately so that the transfer of the tape cassette to the recording and/or reproducing apparatus from the cassette transporting apparatus is carried out smoothly, when the recording and/or reproducing apparatus is remounted after the removal thereof for maintenance or check. Additionally, in the case where a plurality of recording and/or reproducing apparatus are stacked in a rack for the purpose of effective use of the space, there is another problem that the recording and/or reproducing apparatus are moved by gravity or shocks acting thereon, and therefore, the positions where the cassette transporting apparatus should stop for transferring the tape cassette to the recording and/or reproducing apparatus through the opening for cassette insertion shift little by little with the lapse of time, so that it becomes difficult gradually for the transfer of the tape cassette to the recording and/or reproducing apparatus from the cassette transporting apparatus to be carried out smoothly and, as a result, the entire system may fail to work properly.